Picking Blackberries has always been a favourite pastime. As child and adult alike finding blackberry bushes is a delight and sparks my inner passion for foraging. There is a joy in observing the small green berries that appear after the delicate flowers have fallen. Watching them, as Summers days get longer and hotter, transform from green to red, to blackened ripe juicy sweet berries.
Of course, eating them is just as much a pleasure, knowing that these sweet native berries are rich with vitamins minerals, and protein gives a double whammy of goodness appreciation factor. Preserving them by way of making jam means one can be in the joy of this sweet delight from mother nature during the winter months too.
My gratitude and appreciation has always been expressed to the berry bushes for giving so freely of her gifts.
The last couple of seasons I have noticed that this pastime has deepened my connection with nature. Spider, for example, showed me last summer that she weaves her web in front of bunches of blackberries that are on the turn to over ripe. These berries attract the flies, and so she eats.
I didn't know or expect that my awareness of and connection with nature and the Spirit of the Plants would further evolve after meeting my Enchantress aspect in the Enchantress opening ceremony.
But it did.
Prior to the ceremony I had been picking blackberries this season for a week or so. From my garden, and from quiet little lanes along the hedgerow, noticing differences in the taste, shape and sizes of berries.
One of the messages received from my Enchantress in the live ceremony was that I can be more practical with my wisdom now...and, voice. At the time I interpreted the 'voice' part of the message as my voice. Working with my voice more. And that is certainly one aspect.
The day after the ceremony I met with the blackberry bushes down the lanes. As I was picking so they began speaking with me.
They told me they hold memory. They hold memory of those whom have shared of their fruits. They told me they are ancient and they remember. They have the wisdom and memories of their Ancestors that grew abundantly.
We have been growing for thousands of years. We are the Indigenous. We are sustenance.
They said the berries at the top were for the winged ones. The fruits on and near to the Earth were for the ground creatures , and the berries in the centre for hands. This is how they were traditionally harvested. Left to grow we have abundance for all.
The blackberry bushes that grow around the edge of my home of 7 years, have been nurtured and encouraged to grow within the confines of a garden space since I moved in.
The berries from my garden are small in comparison to their counterparts down the lanes, and have a distinctly different taste and texture.
These blackberry bushes said they have grown in alignment with my body make up as I have been feeding the Earth in my garden with my blood, hair and urine.
I became aware that was in conversation of sorts with my blackberry plants as I was picking the fruit. The message from Enchantress. Voice. I was hearing the voice of nature, the voice of the consciousness of the Blackberry bushes. It wasn't just about my voice, but the voice of nature. To this revelation the response was Our voice is your voice. You speak for nature. Our voices are one.
Today I met a Blackberry bush down the lanes. Her berries ripe and blackened. Each berry I tried to pick was held tightly by the bush. Every one. She asked me to observe where she was and there were trees behind her. and a fair bit of shrubbery. She said she was holding her fruit for the particular birds that always hang out in that spot during winter.
Down the lanes I went and met the bushes that were giving generously and freely of their fruit . A few deep spontaneous Ahhh breathes as I stood beside the familiar prickly hedgerow and I slipped into a timeless space. They asked me to sing. My gentle hum, soon a flow of wombsong lullabies, the intention and energy honoring and giving gratitude. This truly felt like a creative partnership. Picking blackberries like we have been for thousands of years. In creative partnership. Hearing and listening to the voice of the relationship. Our relationship with Our Earth Mother and All her beings. Our voice is their voice. This is the way of the Enchantress .
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